Vinyards Closed?

[CGI3]

Some one told me that the Vinyards closed down this week for good. Hope it's not true. I tried the Sunday brunch a few times, and it was pretty damn good. Perhaps they closed for the holidays??

[Starfinder]

I think they may be closed for good.. If they weren’t they would have at least an answering machine when you call. I just saw them advertize their winter hours in the Daily Sun and now they are not there during those hours? It doesn’t make any sense. I was going to book a Christmas party there but I guess I will be looking for alternative locations.

[baygo]

Our sous chef is friends with one of the employees. He was told that they plan to re-open in the spring. We still have a couple of dates available @ Tavern 27 for a party if you need.

[Irish mist]

That was a quick closing, and judging by their spots in the local papers giving winter hours it was not a planned closing. They may open in the spring, or they may not. I bet that they are finished.

[Starfinder]

Isn’t this the same people who owned Willows in the Weirs? I am 99% certain it is… Now a second restaurant closes suddenly before the holidays… I wonder how many people will be out of gift certificates this time. That type of business is borderline plain old theft.

[BroadHopper]

Owner of Willows was working for Vineyards. Sunday brunch is his calling card. He also worked at Shalimar and Tilton Inn.

[no-engine]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Owner of Willows was working for Vineyards. Sunday brunch is his calling card. He also worked at Shalimar and Tilton Inn.

Interesting. Where would Michael be now? Who to work for?

[Lakesrider]

"That type of business is borderline plain old theft."

Ummmm?

So they open up restaurants just to sell gift certificates so they could close and keep the gigantinourmous amount of money they made on them to retire in Costa Rica?
Wow I should do that. I like the tropics. Especially at this time of year.

(Sorry the sarcastic side of me got out AGAIN!)

[Starfinder]

Selling gift certificates the night you know you are closing for good is wrong. Maybe you don’t think so but I do.

[obie]

When the same people were running The Willows in Weirs Beach we were having dinner one evening and the Maitre D came over to our table and told us all about their menu for Thanksgiving. She told us they were taking reservations that evening. Two or three days later we heard they were closed. Sounds like a repeat at the Vineyards.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Starfinder

Selling gift certificates the night you know you are closing for good is wrong. Maybe you don’t think so but I do.

That's why it's always best to purchasse gift certificates on your credit card!! If the establishment closes down before the expiration date on the certificate, a simple phone call to your credit card company would have reimbursed you INSTANTLY by back-charging the bank who handles their credit card account ! There is no safer form of purchase for the consumer than your credit card.

Dan

[CGI3]

Willows, those crafty little buggers had a special, 50% off gift certificates. There was a line going out the door to purchase them, they must have sold thousnads, and thousands of GC's, and shortly there after, they closed down. I had no idea he was affiliated with the Vinyards, if so, I would have never have gone there. He's the Scott Farah of the restaurant industry!

[Shore Driver]

I went there once and could not believe how big and spendy the place looked on the inside. Not something you expect in a strip mall.

But the place was nearly empty and the food, not so great. Not the least bit surprised they are closing down.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by Shore Driver

I went there once and could not believe how big and spendy the place looked on the inside. Not something you expect in a strip mall.

But the place was nearly empty and the food, not so great. Not the least bit surprised they are closing down.

We had the same impressions as you, except that what we had was actually very good. It does seem like they made a very large investment in what I would consider a sub-optimal location, but at least in our experience they had the service and food quality to support the atmosphere.

I hope they manage to survive, it is never good to see a business go under that appears to just be trying to live their dreams.

[jetskier]

We went by on the way up today and they have a placard next to the road for their wednesday night buffet. You would think that they would take down the advertisements at this point.

Jetskier

[jetskier]

I was talking to a friend who told me that the Vineyards lost their lease in December. So, they are gone. It seems as though they were not honest about what was going on during this time.

Jetskier

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by jetskier

I was talking to a friend who told me that the Vineyards lost their lease in December. So, they are gone. It seems as though they were not honest about what was going on during this time.

Jetskier

How could they lose their lease, unless the building owner has a new tenant going in there that offered a higher lease rate? That story doesn't make any sense, it's not like real-estate is at a prime right now in that area.

The only way I can see them losing their lease is for non-payment of rent.

[jetskier]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

How could they lose their lease, unless the building owner has a new tenant going in there that offered a higher lease rate? That story doesn't make any sense, it's not like real-estate is at a prime right now in that area.

The only way I can see them losing their lease is for non-payment of rent.

I don't have any color regarding the circumstances of the lease. I would presume that it was for non payment. It is quite odd that they were shut down just before the holidays. There is a sign advertising the space for lease...clearly the owner does not have a preferential tenant.

Jetskier

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by jetskier

I don't have any color regarding the circumstances of the lease. I would presume that it was for non payment. It is quite odd that they were shut down just before the holidays. There is a sign advertising the space for lease...clearly the owner does not have a preferential tenant.

Jetskier

That makes sense. When someone says they "lost their lease", it seems to imply (to me) that they would have preferred to keep it, but were not presented an option to do so.

Losing a lease for non-payment is missing the bigger picture of the business not being sustainable. It's really too bad because I think the Vinyards was a really good restaurant in a very poor location.

[Winnisquamguy]

Originally Posted by jetskier

There is a sign advertising the space for lease...clearly the owner does not have a preferential tenant.

Jetskier

The butcher he had on the side has been gone for at least 18 months in the same building, now with Vineyards closed there is not much left opened in that whole building...kind of a shame its a nice building.

[Buck]

The employees were unaware of the closing. Michael Moore, the former Willows owner, was the manager and doesn't understand that you can't discount your products and serve all you can eat buffets and have enough money left to pay all your bills at the end of the week. Operating a restaurant profitablly is not easy. Costs are rising much faster than menu prices do or can, especially in this area. GAs stations change their prices daily with their costs. Most restaurants raise their prices once a year and not always then. Their suppliers raise their prices weekly according to market forces. Coke and the beer distributors raise their prices twice a year faithfully. The state is trying to balance the budget on the back of the state liquor store. Profit margins shrink and business in the current economy is not growing to offset the rising costs. Bottom line is even well managed restaurants are struggling to survive in a very difficult time especially in the Lakes Region with it's small population base. For what it is worth the management and owner of the Vineyards knew they were closing probablly for months.